Article supporting ladder attachment



April 18, 1961 v R. L. GIBSON ARTICLE SUPPORTING LADDER ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 9, 1959 E w G L ma 5w B o 2 A-r TQRNEYS 2,980,380 ARTICLE SUPPORTING LADDER ATTACHMENT Robert L. Gibson, 1010 N. Badger Ave., Appleton, Wis.

Filed Jan. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 785,906

1 Claim. (Cl. 248-211) This invention pertains to an article supporting ladder attachment, and more specifically, to the provision of one or more pivotally mounted article supports for use in conjunction with the rungs or steps of a conventionally formed ladder.

One of the primary objects and advantages of the invention, and one'of' the features thereof which serves to distinguish it from previously known devices of this general character, resides in the fact that the construction and assembly thereof is such that, when not in use, it may be pivoted to a convenient inoperative position which does not interfere with the normal usage of the ladder. At the same time, this device is so positioned when in its inoperative position it may be readily swingable to its operative location thereby making it instantly available for use when desired.

One of the usages of the instant device which has been envisaged is, in connection with the application thereof to a ladder, to use it for the support of articles such as window screens, frames, door screen frames, storm windows, and the like, during the cleaning or painting of such articles. With this utilization in mind, the device has been provided with an article supporting member especially adapted to receive and support such articles in a manner conducive to the performance of cleaning or painting operations.

An additional advantage resident in the instant construction is its simplicity. This simplicity of construction will result in a lower manufacturing cost in comparison to the previously known devices of like application. It is, of course, possible to manufacture this device of any readily available material, but it has been contemplated to form it of sheet metal by stamping or other low cost manufacturing processes. In this respect, it will also be noted that the major components of the device are identically formed for attachment or connection with either side of the ladder on which the device is to be positioned. Thus, a further reduction in production cost is achieved.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this general character which is more or less permanently connected to a ladder thereby eliminating the danger of inadvertent misplacement thereof.

A still further object resides in the provision of a device of the class described supra, the article support members being non-complex in construction and assembly, inexpensive to manufacture, and durable in use.

Other and further objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional step .ladder having a pair of article supporting members mounted thereon, the support members being constructed and assembled in accordance with the teachings of this invention, and the article support members being illustrated in their operative positions and having a window frame, shown in phantom lines, supported thereon;

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Figure 2 is an enlarged, side elevational view of one of the attachment members in its operative position, this view being taken on the section line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing one of the article supporting members in its inoperative position; and

Figure 4 is a detail cross sectional view taken on the section line 44 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

With more specific reference to the drawing, it is to be noted that the invention is utilized, in the present embodiment, in connection with a conventionally formed step ladder denoted L therein. In this illustration, the ladder L includes a pair of spaced apart side frame members 10 and 12 having a plurality of longitudinally spaced lateral steps or stringers 14 extending therebetween.

At a predetermined fixed point above one of the steps 14, the frame members 10 and 12 each have a transverse, coaxially aligned opening 16 formed therein, in

order to serve in the connection of a pair of identically formed support members generally identified by reference character 18.

Each of the support members 18 is formed of substantially flat, rigid material and has a main body portion 20 which includes a substantially rectangular rear body section 22 having a leading edge 24 and an opposed trailing edge 26, and a substantially rectangular forward body section 28 which is also provided with leading and trailing edges 30, 32, respectively. The sides of the body section 28 are substantially coplanar with the sides of the body section 22, but it is to be noted that their longitudinal edges are disposed at an obtuse angle relative to each other for a purpose described more fully below.

As is obvious in the drawing, the inner ends of the body sections are integrally joined, and the outer end of each of the body sections 28 is provided with an integrally formed, substantially rectangular rib 34 which projects upwardly therefrom in substantially perpendicular relationship thereto, while the outer end of each of the rear body sections 22 has an integrally formed, curved, ofiset extension 36. Each extension 36 has a substantially circular aperture 38 formed therein adjacent the outer end thereof and, as seen in Figure 4, a bolt 40 is passed through the aperture 38 and the hole 16 of the frame 10 or 12 for connection with a nut 42 whereby the supports 18 are pivotally mounted to the aforesaid frame members.

In use, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, the trailing edges 26 of the body sections 22 present bearing surfaces which, when the devices are pivoted to their operative positions, abut the upper side of the subjacent step 14. The frame to be painted or cleaned, denoted F in the drawing, is rested on the leading edges 30 of the body sections 28 and the lip 34 serves in cooperation with the angular inclination of the sections 28, to prevent the accidental or inadvertent displacement thereof.

In Figure 3, it is seen that when not in use the support members 18 are pivoted to their inoperative positions which do not interfere with the normal utilization of the ladder. An advantageous point in this respect resides in the fact that the leading edges 24 abut against the step 14 which thus serves as a stop for preventing the further pivotal movement of the members 18 into positions where they might interfere with the use of the ladder. Also, the aforementioned angular inclination of the body sections 28 relative to the body sections 22 further serves to prevent the members '18 from interfering with the normal use of the ladder to which they are applied.

It will, of course, be understood that an equally beneficialop eration could be a before described support members in'conne'ction with a chieved by use of the hereinladder having cylindrical rungs (not shown) substituted for the rectangular steps or stringers 1 4"shown inthe drawingu Y 1 i -Ha'ving' described and illustrated a single embodiment of this invention in somewhat complete detail, it will'be.

understoodv that this embodiment is offered merely by i 7 way of example; and that this invention is to be limited A only by the scope of the appended claim. 7

What is claimed is:

Incombination, a step; ladder having a side rail and a T 'step extending laterally from the rail, said step having an 7 upper surface and. a forward edge and'a rear edge and e having an upper surface which is angled forwardly and downwardly relative to thelength of the rail, an article supporting bracket comprising an elongated'body having forward and rear ends,,an'upstanding arm on said rear endfsaid bracket being positioned .at the'laterally inward side of the rail, means pivotingsaid arm on the rail at av point spaced above the step and spaced from the fortion of the bracket, said upper edge of forward end por- 1 tion the bracket body being -forwardlyand upwardly angled relative to the lower edge of the rear end portion'of the body, to locate saidtupper edge atri'ght angles to the ladder rail'in the operative position of the bracket. References Gited the file. of thisrpatent UNITED STATES PATENTS I Clive L; Sept. 12, 1916 1,198,008 2,398,617 Casey Apr. 16, 1946 2,554,675 Magnetti V s May 29, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS I a ward andrear edges of the, rail, said body having a rear 130,951 Great Britain May 26,1919 

